Reality Brief: Marrakesh

Current alerts

• Mauritanian border

  All travel along the border with Mauritania is strongly advised against; only the coastal road to Nouadhibou may be used.

  Published on March 11, 2026 · France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, safety

Alerts checked on October 2, 2026 against the sources cited.

Essentials before you arrive

• Passport: France, United Kingdom

  No visa is needed for a tourist stay of up to 90 days (French and British nationals). Beyond that, an extension of up to 3 months is requested from immigration or a police station. Overstaying is punished by a fine and expulsion with an entry ban.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, entry and residenceGOV.UK (FCDO), Morocco travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Entry and residence

• A passport is compulsory (an ID card is no longer enough), including on package tours. France requires it to cover the whole stay; Canada, to be valid 6 months beyond your exit date.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, entry and residenceGovernment of Canada, Travel advice: MoroccoGuide: Entry and residence

• On arrival, you need a return ticket and proof of sufficient funds. Check that border police have stamped your passport, otherwise you would be staying illegally without knowing it.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, entry and residenceGuide: Entry and residence

• The dirham is not convertible and cannot be taken out of the country: exchange only what you need and keep receipts to convert back at the airport. Declare foreign currency of 100,000 dirhams or more on entry and exit.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), Morocco travel advice: entry requirementsGovernment of Canada, Travel advice: MoroccoGuide: Entry and residence

• According to France: police 19 in town, gendarmerie 177 outside towns, fire 15. The UK and Canada list police 190 and ambulance or fire 150. Check locally.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, useful contactsGOV.UK (FCDO), Morocco travel advice: getting helpGovernment of Canada, Travel advice: MoroccoGuide: Health

• The currency is the dirham (MAD), non-convertible. Cards are accepted in large hotels and some urban shops.

  Government of Canada, Travel advice: MoroccoGOV.UK (FCDO), Morocco travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Money and banking

• Mosques are closed to non-Muslims (except major tourist sites). Avoid political and religious topics, any criticism of the King, alcohol in public; dress respectfully. During Ramadan, alcohol cannot be bought.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, useful informationGuide: Daily life and local laws

• Homosexuality is an offence (up to 3 years in prison) and sex outside marriage is prohibited (1 year).

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, useful informationGuide: Daily life and local laws

Living in Marrakesh

• Snatch theft is common, especially in Casablanca and Marrakech where thieves on motorbikes ride along pavements. Use official taxis, avoid deserted beaches and parks at night, and do not leave papers in an Airbnb-type rental without a safe.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Beware of requests for financial help from online "friends" and fake travel agencies in Marrakech asking for card details.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, useful informationGuide: Safety and emergencies

• The country is in a seismic zone (magnitude 6.8 earthquake in the High Atlas on 8 September 2023): know what to do, especially around Marrakech and Agadir.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Women, especially alone, often face insistent attention that can amount to harassment.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

Field experience

• Tip

  Pharmacies, clinics and hospitals

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): pharmacies (469), clinics (7), hospitals (19). Locate those near your home in the first days and check opening hours and on-call services locally.

• Tip

  Where to shop for food

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): markets (12), supermarkets (39). Compare a few basic prices between market and supermarket before settling into habits.

• Tip

  Banks, cash machines and exchange

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): banks (137), cash machines (11), currency exchange (8), money transfer (6). Withdraw and change money at these official places, preferably during the day, never in the street.

• Tip

  A shop for your SIM card

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): phone and internet (17). Go with your passport: SIM registration is often mandatory.

• Tip

  A furnished flat for the first weeks

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): furnished apartments (26). A furnished flat gives you time to visit several neighbourhoods before signing a lease.

• Tip

  A coworking space as a fallback

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): coworking (1). Useful for remote work when the connection or power fails at home.

• Tip

  Consulates in the city

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): consulates (1). Note the address of your country's consulate or the nearest embassy.

• Emergency numbers

  Police 19 (town), royal gendarmerie 177 (outside towns), fire 15; police 190 and ambulance 150 according to the UK.

  1917715190150

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, useful contactsGOV.UK (FCDO), Morocco travel advice: getting help· Oct 2, 2026

• Consulate General of France in Marrakech

  Passport: France

  Consular services for French nationals; appointments online.

  Rue Camille Cabana, quartier de l'Hivernage, Marrakech

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Morocco, entry and residence· Oct 2, 2026